2 out of 248 rainy days in Bergen

[English version below]

Rain jacket in the backpack, off to Bergen! The westernmost point of our journey is the rainiest city in Europe with 248 rainy days. But of course, Bergen is not a topic of conversation because of its many rain showers, but mainly because of the world-famous fjords in the surrounding area!

We don't want to miss out on fjords on our Scandinavia tour, so we left Gothenburg in the evening and took the night train to Bergen from there. Upon arrival in Oslo, we realized that we had not made the necessary seat reservation for the night train. Normally, no reservation is necessary, but with a night train, it can happen that you are not allowed in if the train is too full. Unfortunately, the ticket counter was already closed at 10 p.m., and on the Internet, it only said that the train was fully booked. We could already imagine spending the night on the train station bench...

But luck was on our side! Upon arrival at the train, we directly approached a conductor who casually looked at a small plan and was able to tell us about two available unreserved seats. This was only possible because we were at the platform so early... So to be sure, it's always better to make a reservation!

We finally arrived in Bergen at 7 a.m. after a 7.5-hour journey. At the hostel, we couldn't check into our beds for the night yet, but at least the cozy sofas in the lounge were good for a short power nap.

As expected (we remind you of the 248 rainy days), Bergen welcomed us rather gray and wet. Most tourists were therefore better equipped than us: rain pants, rubber boots, rain jacket, etc. - full gear!

Bergen is a really nice little town, but you can tell that it is completely geared towards tourists.

The beautiful Bryggen, colorful wooden houses that are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, shapes the harbor image. Inside, you will mostly find souvenir shops, but it's definitely worth a visit!

The Fløibanen is also an almost unmissable tourist highlight. It takes you up to Fløyen, where you have a great view of Bergen! Even if the line in front of the cable cars initially seems very long, you should bear the short wait time for this breathtaking view! Up there, you can not only enjoy the view but also explore a lake and hiking trails. In addition, there are cafes, restaurants, and playgrounds to ensure the satisfaction of tourists.

We also didn't miss the fish market right by the harbor, which is a third highlight. There you can buy all kinds of fish and Norwegian specialties such as whale, reindeer, or deer salami and brown cheese. However, we settled for a small salmon sandwich.

Something we wouldn't have expected during our trip was a spontaneous trip to IKEA in Norway. But when we saw a free IKEA shuttle bus passing by in Bergen (free IKEA shuttle bus!!!!), we just thought, we have to go there! So we did, and we had a really nice and fun time there. The beds were definitely very comfortable for another power nap! And eating at IKEA is always a good idea :) Sweden is actually still on our itinerary, but why not have a few Köttbullar in Norway. ;)

It's probably impossible to leave IKEA without buying anything, but in any case, two pillows (one of them in the shape of an alarm clock!) ended up in our basket.

Bergen is definitely a very nice city. Now we are looking forward to a fjord tour, which you should check out in our other article!

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Next stop, next country, next city - Bergen! We stayed for two nights, discovering the city itself on one day and discovering a beautiful Norwegian fjord on the other day. Check out our article on our fjord cruise as well!

Overnight we traveled from Gothenburg to Bergen via Oslo. We spent our 2.5-hour break in Burger King at the Oslo central train station. #midnightsnack Of course, we had to eat an Oreo ice cream (and some other stuff)! Yummy! ;)

Although a reservation for the night train was compulsory, we did not manage to do so due to organizational issues. Nevertheless, we were lucky and assigned two of the very few remaining seats on the train. Our advice to everyone in this situation is to simply ask the train conductor. We think that in most cases, there should still be some unreserved seats available.

In Bergen, we spent two nights at the YMCA Hostel located directly in the city center and not far from the train station. After a short power nap on the hostel's comfortable sofas (our room was not yet prepared because we arrived at 7 a.m.), we started to explore the city.

Definitely check the weather before you go to Bergen. Bergen is the rainiest city in Europe, and we can tell you, it's true! It literally rained all day long, so you should take your rain jacket and umbrella with you (unlike we did)!

The main attraction in Bergen is probably Bryggen - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This oldest part of the city consists of small colored houses next to the harbor. It is the perfect place to take some photos or to buy some souvenirs.

You should also visit the Fish Market next to Bryggen. You can buy or eat fresh seafood or a Norwegian specialty - Salami made from reindeer, whale, or moose. If you plan to buy something, just be aware of the really high touristic prices!

The Floiban takes you up the mountain Floyen. We highly recommend you to go up there because you'll get a very nice view over Bergen and the sea. And don't forget to take some pictures!

IKEA was our personal highlight in Bergen. Coincidentally, we saw the free IKEA shuttle bus passing us on the street. So, we spontaneously decided to visit Norwegian IKEA because we still had some time left. IKEA is always worth a visit: Power napping on one of those cozy IKEA beds, cuddling stuffed animals, eating in the IKEA diner, and buying some funny stuff. We left IKEA with two pillows - probably the best souvenir. ;)

All in all, we had a really nice time in Bergen despite the rain. Check out our other blog post about our fjord cruise, too! :)